Pubdate: Tue, 08 Sep 2009
Source: Pacific Daily News (US GU)
Copyright: 2009 Pacific Daily News
Contact: http://www.guampdn.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.guampdn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1122
Author: Amritha Alladi
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)

PARTICIPANTS LEARN TO SAY NO TO DRUGS AT CONFERENCE

There were no holds barred at the 13th annual "Too Cool to do Drugs" 
conference hosted by Sanctuary Inc. yesterday.

The participants -- ages 12 to 18 -- spoke frankly about suicide, 
drug abuse, peer pressure and even shared their own encounters, as 
many of them said they have been in situations where they have had to 
turn down drugs.

Sanctuary Inc. has hosted such a conference every Labor Day weekend 
as a proactive step toward educating teens and parents on how to 
prevent and reduce drug and alcohol abuse. Yesterday's conference was 
at the Westin Guam Resort.

Sanctuary's Executive Director Sarah Thomas Nededog said the 
conference was unique in that it required the teens to come with a 
significant adult in his or her life. That partnership is essential 
in combating drug abuse and alcoholism, Nededog said, because 
substance abuse prevention starts at the home.

Clinical psychologist Lilli Ann Perez, one of the plenary speakers, 
said in Guam's cultural context, the extended family plays a role 
because Chamorro and Filipino culture is family-oriented. Teens come 
into contact with their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins more 
often, and the frequent interactions may create potential problems, 
or misunderstandings.

The conference featured lectures, breakout sessions and discussions 
on suicide prevention, communication and saying no to drugs. Perez 
said at the start of the day she had the teens generate ideas on how 
to prevent drug abuse, and the No. 1 solution the teens came up with 
was communication.

Eighteen-year-old Jonilyn Delrosario, a student of Guam Community 
College, said substance abuse issues start when a child is facing 
problems at home. Children feel depressed and turn to drugs for 
relief when they are not adequately supported by their parents, she said.

"If the parents don't understand their child, then the child will 
turn to something else," she said. "The parents play a big role."

The conference not only taught families how to communicate with one 
another, but also imparted information on the negative effects of 
alcohol and certain drugs. One panel demonstrated how drug abuse 
damages the brain.

"As we know, young people are very much influenced by their peers, 
and they receive a lot of information about sex, drugs and other 
things from their peers," Nededog said. Delrosario said much of the 
information they receive from their peers is wrong, which is why 
conferences such as yesterday's event help to set the record straight.

Carina Maanao didn't need to be told twice. She said she stays off of 
drugs because she finds it disgusting. She has been offered drugs by 
her peers before, but the 13-year-old doesn't think it's cool, and 
she tells those who offer that it's detrimental to their health.

That's one of the reasons that stopped a 16-year-old conference 
participant from selling marijuana for easy money. The teen, who is 
not named because he's underage, said he enjoyed the highs and the 
independence of being able to buy things with his own money -- until 
he was sent to drug court. Now, the 16-year-old turns to sports for his high.

He said he advises his peers to do the same if they plan to finish school.

"Now I got a better way to use my mind," the 16-year-old said.

Additional Facts

AT A GLANCE

Sanctuary Inc. was founded in November 1971 by Father Robert Phelps 
as a safe haven and temporary alternative to detention for Guam's 
youth. Over the 38 years of its existence, the organization has 
expanded to offer a full continuum of services that includes:

24-hour crisis intervention services;

Temporary safe refuge during family conflicts and abuse;

Supportive counseling for youth and families;

Drug and alcohol outpatient and residential treatment;

Support groups in Chalan Pago and Astumbo in youth and adult anger 
management, tobacco cessation, parenting skills and parent support group; and

Prevention and awareness presentations in local private and public schools.

TO LEARN MORE

Call Sanctuary: 475-7100
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom